Orlando Magic’s confidence is slowly rising

The Orlando Magic are on the move after a slow start to the season on both sides of the ball.

They defeated the Utah Jazz 107-100 on Sunday in a game against one of the best teams in the league. It was a game Orlando had control for much of the game, jumping out to an early 15-point lead and outplaying and outshooting one of the best offenses in the league.

Still, the Magic would need to pull together and go on a 24-11 run in the fourth quarter to put the game away. In doing so, Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton went toe-to-toe down the stretch with the Jazz’s star-studded lineup. They both outplayed Donovan Mitchell down the stretch and challenged and beat Rudy Gobert on several occasions.

The players understood how much they needed this win against a quality opponent. More importantly, they are on their way to developing continuity within the young potential stars on this roster.

The Orlando Magic have shaken off a rough start to the season and are beginning to form their identity. The win over the Utah Jazz was merely proof of concept for all their hard work.

This was the type of win that can boost the morale and overall confidence of a young team that may not have the necessary talent level as most teams but has the will of a champion. Talent only takes you so far. On this level, the question is are you willing to outwork the opponent.

The Magic are starting to show more and more they are willing to do that.

And that came on full display in that stellar fourth quarter where Orlando asserted itself and played with the confidence and swagger that is necessary to pull out a win.

Mitchell and Gobert both had 21 points in the game. They had their All-Star moments. But neither player could get their team over the hump on the road. In the fourth quarter, the duo combined for 10 points and 3-for-8 shooting. They had four of the Jazz’s eight turnovers in the tell-tale quarter.

These two All-Stars were outplayed by the Magic’s Wendell Carter and Cole Anthony. The two youngsters stepped up in a major way.

Carter put up a double-double, posting 22 points, six assists and 15 rebounds. He hit a career-high four 3-pointers for good measure in a complete game for the young big man.

Anthony cemented an Eastern Conference Player of the Week-caliber week with 33 points on 13-for-20 shooting with five 3-pointers. He scored 10 on 4-for-6 shooting in the fourth quarter. He had 22 of his 33 points in the second half.

This is also a great sign for this young Magic team as their starters’ confidence is starting to show against top-tier opponents. Mo Bamba had four blocks and added nine points in the victory. Rookie forward Franz Wagner added 10 points and four rebounds and Jalen Suggs added six points and five assists.

This can only give the team confidence, especially picking up their first home win of the season. For a young team trying to build confidence, nothing shows that their system and their way to play can work like a win over the best team in the Western Conference.

This was a win that felt like it was coming for a while with the team’s improved play and understanding.

The Magic are beginning to look better even though their record would suggest otherwise.

After a slow start to the season, Orlando’s offense has come around scoring 102.9 points per 100 possessions (23rd in the league since Oct. 24 when the team earned its first win over the New York Knicks). The Magic’s offense remains a work in progress as the team tries to create consistent scoring opportunities and shot-making.

Even with those struggles, the Magic are shooting 34.7-percent from beyond the arc, good for 14th in the league. If that continues, that would be the team’s highest finish in 3-point shooting since the 2019 season.

More importantly, the Magic’s defense has gotten significantly better. Orlando is giving up 106.2 points per 100 possessions in that same time period. That puts the team 15th in that time span. The Magic have four straight games holding their opponents to less than 110 points per 100 possessions, the first such streak since Dec. 28, 2019-Jan. 3, 2020 — the last stretch before Jonathan Isaac’s initial knee injury.

Orlando is starting to put more of its pieces together for how coach Jamahl Mosley wants them to play.

This win gives them only their third win of the year, and they still sit as the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference. Orlando still has plenty of work to do.

It has been some lows for sure. But that is to be expected in a rebuilding year. The team is playing well despite their expectations and are very impressive in their wins.

This is the beginning of a long season. The games come fast and the Orlando Magic have another tough opponent due into the Amway Center on Wednesday when the Brooklyn Nets come to town. We will see just how much their confidence has grown.

The team has to stay eager to win and not get complacent in their victories so that they can be aware of how much it takes to win consistently in this league.

The confidence the team will get after an upset win against the Western Conference’s elite will build trust in the players. And trusting each other is always a key ingredient to winning games.